Smile
by xXBlueSariaXx
Summary: Mathias is always smiling. He is viewed as a cheerful person. Which is why it surprised Ludwig when he found the Danish boy crying at the stairs...


**Disclaimer: **I don't own Hetalia

**Summary: **Mathias is always smiling. He is viewed as a cheerful person. Which is why it surprised Ludwig when he found the Danish boy crying at the stairs...

**Warning: **The slight use of the word 'damn', sad moments, possibly OOCness

Finally! My first Hetalia-fanfic! :3

It was an idea that I had in yesterday. I have written it a little in yesterday and finished it today. This is AU, so the nations are normal humans in this fic and therefore their human names is used. I must inform you that Mathias(also known as Denmark) will be OOC but there is a good reason for it and the story is also sad, just so you know.

Well, on with the story! And I hope you will enjoy it :)

* * *

His name is Mathias.

Many people would think of him as an idiotic and cheerful fool. Ludwig was no exception. He have always thought that Mathias was a moron. But then again, he have a friend, an Italian boy named Feliciano, who was also naïve, so he shouldn't judge.

He watched as Mathias stared out the window, most likely being deep in his thoughts, with a smile on his face. The boy was always smiling, he is energetic and enthusiastic. It made Ludwig wonder if the Danish boy really have other emotions.

I mean, obviously, a person cannot be happy all the time.

The teacher informed his students that the class is starting and the students started their works. Mathias didn't seem to get the message as he kept looking out the window. The teacher noticed that and walked to the Danish boy. He cleared his throat, making the Dane to look up at him. He could see that his teacher was giving him a disapproving look. "Mathias, if you want to pass this test, you'll have to stop looking out the window and instead concentrate on your work." the teacher told him strictly with a calm voice.

"Oops, sorry." Mathias apologized, giving the teacher a sheepish smile. Ludwig, who saw what happened, rolled his eyes before he went back to his own test. _He will never pass everything if he doesn't start to take his work seriously. _he thought to himself. Mathias grabbed his pencil and began to answer the questions. Even when doing a test, he would smile. Before he could go further with the test, the door to the classroom opened and the students stopped what they were doing, making all of them, including the teacher, turn their heads to the door to see the secretary.

They were wondering of what she was doing here. If a secretary is sent to one of the classroom, it must mean that she have something important to tell. Her eyes fixated on Mathias, who was looking at her in curiosity.

"Mathias, please follow me to the principle's office. He have an important message to tell you." the secretary told the blonde Dane monotonously. The Dane was curious of what was going on, but nodded and got off his chair. He walked to the secretary, looking up at her since she is slightly taller than him. The secretary took a brief glance at him, before glancing at the teacher. "Just continue your business." she told him and the other students, before she closed the door.

After they left, the students exchanged confounded looks to everybody, before they went back to their test. Ludwig wondered of why the principle wanted to talk with Mathias, but decided not to think more of it.

* * *

"Damn, where is he?" Ludwig asked himself quietly, seeing no signs of the Dane. The school had ended and he still hasn't seen him yet. Did the conversation between Mathias and the principle really take that long?

The German was ready to leave, waiting for his big brother to pick him up, when he heard some quiet sobs. It sounded like somebody was crying. He looked around, trying to see who it was who made that noise, but to no avail. He heard the sobs again and decided to follow the noise. He figured that if he followed the noise, he would know who is crying. The sound of sobs was getting louder as he was getting closer; now he can also hear some quiet sniffles.

He stopped when he reached a corner, apparently the place where the noise was coming. Ludwig peeked slowly out from the wall, that was when he got surprised. It was something that he never expected to see in his whole life.

In fact, something that _everybody _wouldn't expect to see.

Here was Mathias, sitting on the stairs. And for once, he wasn't smiling and being happy. No, he was crying and upset. Mathias was sobbing into his hands as the tears was falling down his cheeks. It was truly a surprising sight, it isn't every day that you get to see Mathias being upset.

It made Ludwig feel sorry for the other blonde boy. What had happen that would cause the normally cheerful guy like Mathias to suddenly cry in sorrow? Ludwig walked from his hiding spot and approached the crying male.

He may be tough and strict sometimes, but he wasn't heartless.

Mathias hasn't noticed the German approaching him. He got surprised when he felt a hand on his shoulder, taking his hands away from his face, his eyes red and puffy from all the crying. "Oh…h-hey Ludwig…" Mathias said quietly, haven't expecting to see Ludwig, or anyone at all at this moment. Ludwig was taken aback by the quietness. Okay, this was getting worrying. Mathias have always been loud, but now he was being quiet.

"Mathias, what's the matter?" Ludwig have gotten enough courage to ask the other male and sat next to him. Mathias sniffled, wiping his tears away. He took a deep breath. "Well…the principle told me that my parents called and…I was being told that my grandma…" Mathias tried to say the next word but broke down again. He couldn't even say the dreaded word without crying.

"It's okay. You don't have to tell if you don't want to." Ludwig told Mathias.

"But I want to…it has to be known." Mathias began. "My grandma…she passed away today…she died in the hospital, she has been there since yesterday."

Ludwig remembered Mathias' grandma. The Dane have once asked him to visit his grandma with him. He wasn't sure if it was the Dane's attempt to become his friend or he just wanted him to meet his grandma for no apparent reason. But he do remember that Mathias' grandma was a nice old woman. Like many old people, she enjoyed having company and she was always happy when her grandson visit her. And funny enough, despite her age, she was nearly as energetic as her grandson. Ludwig guessed that it must be from her that Mathias got his cheerful attitude from.

Ludwig kinda wished he have that kind of relationship with his own grandma when he still had the chance, but his grandma died for a long time ago when he was a little kid; he could barely remember her since he was only two back then.

He knew that Mathias is going to have hard times after he just lost someone he really cared about.

"This is just unfair! My grandma is the sweetest and nicest person you'll ever met! I don't want her to die! Sometimes I wish that we humans can be immortal - well, except from Hitler because he was a really bad guy and was the reason for my country have to suffer by letting his damn German soldiers invade Denmark!" Mathias yelled, his voice getting loud as it usually are.

Ludwig stared at him in shock, his blue eyes wide. The way Mathias acted really surprised him. That was another unexpected thing from the Dane. There was two things that he never expected the Dane to feel: sadness and rage.

Mathias' eyes widened too, realizing of what he just said. He turned his head to look at Ludwig with a guilty look. "Sorry, I wasn't meant to insult you or your country. The news about my grandma just took hard on me, I'm sorry if I have offended you." he apologized, feeling bad for what he said. He rested his head on Ludwig's shoulder and closed his eyes. "Undskyld." he muttered an apology in Danish.

"It's okay. I know you didn't mean it, you were just upset. Besides, I know that my country's history hasn't been pleasant." Ludwig said to him but it sounded more like a whisper. The two blonde boys was sitting in silence. Mathias have stopped to cry, but he was still sad.

"Mathias." Ludwig began, causing the mentioned boy to open his eyes and look up at him. "Sometimes things happens for a reason and sometimes we doesn't understand. Your grandma have lived a long life and, like you said, she was a nice person; it was just her time to go. I hope you'll understand this one day."

The Dane stared at him for a moment, then gave him a small nod. For the first time, ever since he received the news, he smiled. The smile was small and weak but it was still there. "Yeah, I was being informed that she died peacefully with no pain. And wanna know something? Before she died, my grandma told my parents that I was her last thought. At least, she will be in a better place now." he said quietly.

It was nice to see him smile again. It looks like that he have gotten a little better now.

"You know, my friends have always said that you're mean and bossy - and I admit that you can be a pain in my butt sometimes - but I know that you can be nice when you wanted to be." Mathias said, his smile gotten a slightly bigger now.

"Umm…thanks." Ludwig blushed a little, not used to get compliments.

Luckily, the feeling of awkwardness got washed away when the two boys heard a voice shouting: "West! West, where are you? Please, don't tell me that you have abandoned me! It wouldn't be cool of you if you left before the awesome me could arrive!"

They could easily recognize the voice. It was the voice of Ludwig's big brother, Gilbert, who have arrived. Mathias doesn't know him so well, except that he is Ludwig's brother. But he have seen him a few times before, so he knows what Gilbert looks like.

"That's my Bruder. I better go now before he gets impatient." the German told the Dane. Mathias wrapped his arms around him and pulled him in for an embrace, much to the German's surprise. He wasn't used to get hugs a lot; there was times where he would sometimes receive hugs from his older brother. And there was also a time where Feliciano tried to hug him - but because of Ludwig was taller than him, it was a hard thing to do.

Mathias released him from the hug and watched as the German got up from his sitting position and went to his brother. Mathias smiled to himself as he remembered Ludwig's words.

_Tak. _Mathias thought. _Fordi du var der, da jeg havde brug for det._

* * *

**Translations:**

Undskyld - Sorry(Danish)

Bruder - Brother(German)

Tak. Fordi du var der, da jeg havde brug for det - Thanks. Because you were there when I needed it(Danish)

* * *

Poor Mathias. But at least, he got some comfort :)

I apologize if Ludwig was OOC. It's my first time writing him (and Mathias) and he seemed like a hard character to write - perhaps I just need to practice.

As for Mathias' situation...it was kinda based on my own personal experience.

My grandma died last week(or I think it was two weeks ago), she died on the hospital. She died in an old age. No, I wasn't being informed about her death at my school, I was at home and was being informed by my mom when she and my dad got home after visiting my grandma at the hospital. My big brother was the first to get the news but decided to wait to tell me about it as he and my parents both agreed of it would be best if I heard it from my own parents. I was sad when I got the news, but I didn't cry as much as Mathias did in the story(I was close to cry, though). But my mom said that grandma died without any pain and that I was her last thought before she passed away.

It can be hard to lose someone you care about but the life goes on. We all have to accept our fates, even if it can be hard for us. It's just how a human's life is and at least, my grandma got into a better place.

P.S: sorry if I had offended anyone with the German comment Mathias came up with. Remember that he was upset at the moment and therefore accidentally said it. Please, understand that I did not intend to offend anyone, especially the Germans. Again, sorry if I did.


End file.
